On Saving My Own Soul
The most self-condemnatory question ever asked was asked by
Pilate when Jesus was brought before him.
The questions is, “What is truth?”
“What is truth?” The Moderator of General Synod sent out the following email today (May 22, 2023, see below).
The purpose of this email is to offer an update on the recent activity of the Executive Board of the General Synod. On May 22, 2023, the former Reverend Charles (Chuck) Wilson appeared before the court in order to stand trial for charges made against him. I am saddened to report that before the trial commenced, Mr. Wilson read a statement in which he renounced the court's jurisdiction and withdrew from Gospel ministry.
According to the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Book of Discipline chapter 8.1, "When a member or minister is under discipline and wishes to withdraw his membership rather than face the censure of the Church, the church court shall act by removing his name from the roll which is the theological equivalent of excommunication without judicial process."
Sadly, Mr. Wilson has imposed the highest form of church discipline upon himself by excommunicating himself from the Church of Jesus Christ. Please pray for Mr. Wilson and all those involved in this sad situation.
Bill McKay, Moderator Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
“WHAT IS TRUTH?”
One, McKay is correct that I refused to stand before the Inquisition court of McKay, Kyle Sims, Patrick Malphrus, David Lauten, and Ken Wingate. I am convinced that this so-called court is corrupt, and I am convinced it violates Scripture, the directives of the ARPChurch, and the Confession of Faith, XXV:4 (“The purest Churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated, as to become no Churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan. . .”). Conscience will not allow me to submit to something so unscrupulous and unprincipled.
THIS IS THE TRUTH!
Two, I have NOT “withdrawn from the Gospel ministry”; I withdrew from ministry in the ARPChurch. I am still the Reverend Doctor Charles W. Wilson. My credentials are elsewhere. McKay misuses the Book of Discipline, 8.1: "When a member or minister is under discipline and wishes to withdraw his membership rather than face the censure of the Church, the church court shall act by removing his name from the roll which is the theological equivalent of excommunication without judicial process.”
- I have never been under “discipline” — that is, sanction.
- I did not withdraw under “censure.”
- Of my own choosing, I chose to withdraw from the ministry of the ARPChurch.
- I have not chosen to excommunicate myself from the Church of the Lord Jesus or from the ordained Gospel ministry; rather, I have chosen a different venue from which to work.
- I do not want to be a part of an ecclesiastical organization led by the likes of Bill McKay, Kyle Sims, Patrick Malphrus, David Lauten, and Ken Wingate.
- According to Revelation 18.4, I have chosen to come out of what I consider to be a modern-day Babylon.
THIS IS THE TRUTH!
Finally, who is Bill McKay?
McKay seems confused as to his allegiances: when Synod’s then Moderator wrote to all pastors and congregations encouraging them, out of obedience to Holy Scripture, to continue meeting during the Covid pandemic, McKay, in a letter to the then Vice Moderator, sought to initiate charges against the Moderator at that time. McKay claimed that the Moderator’s letter spoke in opposition to “Her Majesty’s Government.” Apparently, McKay considers Her late Majesty’s Government to be a higher authority over the church than Holy Scripture. Needless to say, the Vice Moderator at that time wisely chose to disregard McKay’s request and no charges were initiated. As a result, the vast majority of Associate Reformed Presbyterian congregations continued to meet in faithfulness to Scripture. However, in the Canadian Presbytery, McKay made himself infamous. He informed the Canadian authorities that one of the Canadian congregations was meeting, and the results were the pastor was arrested, and both the pastor and the congregation left the ARPChurch.
THIS IS THE TRUTH!
For the record, below is a copy of my statement which I read before the Executive Board — a Board that I deem, at best, a Kangaroo Court, and, at worst, an Inquisition Court.
We are here today because Matt Miller, with whom I have had significant disagreements and conflicts, decided to weaponize the then-private estrangements within my extended family for his own ends. Using the ire and jealousies of two alienated and malleable daughters, they have committed themselves to the notion that the home of Chuck and Erlene Wilson was a house of horrors. They have transmogrified me into a rage-a-holic who was either shouting and cursing or making sexual innuendos for their entire childhood, in a home in which Katie lived until she was 26 and Sara lived until she was 22. They have caricatured their mother as a scheming enabler unwilling to protect her children. On the other hand, the other three children raised in our home have consistently told a very different story of love, laughter, faith, and safety.
Well, Tanisha, Gayle, and Matt would have told the story of love, laughter, faith, and safety if the Investigators (and particularly the lead Investigator, Ken Wingate) had done their job as prescribed in the Book of Discipline and actually spoken to ALL the witnesses. Not only did the Investigators refuse to speak with Tanisha, Gayle, and Matt, they refused to speak with witnesses from the gym, even when given names and phone numbers. However, these witnesses would NOT have affirmed the Investigators’ preconceived narrative.
Many of these allegations against Erlene and me involve alleged incidents which were supposed to have occurred more than 20 and even more than 40 years ago. Erlene and I take exception to all their allegations. Indeed, they did not happen! And we have two witnesses from the White Oak Church who will swear to our integrity: a long-time friend and our former babysitter. These women were constantly in and out of our home and knew the inner workings of our home. Furthermore, from Seneca, I have a neighbor, who with his wife and three daughters, lived in front of us, and none of them ever saw or heard anything like what our daughters allege.
Nevertheless, there is a huge fissure in our family with Katie and Sara on one side, while Matt, Tanisha, Gayle, Erlene, and I are on the other. And this fissure arose because of differences, conflicts, and jealousies arising after 2000, when all children were grown-and-gone from our home.
It is no secret I have a quick temper and sharp tongue. Many of the times I spoke too harshly were situations where I still believe I was right, but that was obscured by the way I expressed myself.
Because of the necessity for and the devastation of harsh and wounding words, I will end this. If I were to cross-examine my daughters, I would shatter them with my words. Then the rupture is irreparable for Katie and Sara; Tanisha, Gayle, and Matt; my wife and me. I cannot live with that. They are still my children.
I am a realist. Humanly speaking, for my wife and I, there is little chance of reconciliation with our daughters, or between our daughters and the other three siblings. If I cross-examine them, there is no chance of reconciliation.
If my cardiologists are correct, I don’t have long to live. I don’t want to end my life in a public squabble with my daughters. There can be no winner, just an unseemly spectacle. This fight, with the aid and manipulation of Matt Miller, they started. I’m ending it! I wish my daughters peace.
As far as Charge #2 is concerned: If this trial were to proceed, I would show you that the Investigators have violated clear Scriptural requirements and the Book of Discipline by fashioning a charge on the basis of ONE witness. They spoke to ONE person and ran with her allegations.
-
That ONE witness testified that I had run-ins with people at the gym where I have been a member for 30 She only mentioned ONE person specifically. That gentleman is a friend and is prepared to testify that he and I have NEVER been at odds; and, in fact, we have been friends for more than 15 years.
-
I am prepared to bring the owner of the gym to tell you about my conduct there, and he and the former owners repeatedly renewed my membership for 30 years ― a strange thing to do if I were the menace described in charge #2. The owner is also prepared to tell you the first thing he did when he purchased the gym was this: “I fired Meredith, and it was the best first thing I ”
-
I have another half dozen gym members who are prepared to testify to my conduct and reputation in the Included is a prominent retired Baptist pastor, a retired Clemson PhD in forestry, and a married couple who became members of the Oconee Presbyterian Church because of their friendship with me begun at the gym.
-
This fired gym employee sold a cartoon version of Chuck Wilson and the Investigators bought it, too zealous to let the facts get in the way of such a good story, as they ran helter- skelter to a predetermined and prejudged
This process has been tainted and corrupt at every juncture. You appointed Investigators, two of whom have been on very opposite sides of issues in the ARPChurch and whose fairness to me could be reasonably questioned. They never should have been asked to serve in this matter. Once that mistake was made they should have refused to serve.
This matter was declared an emergency by the Executive Board on October 24, 2022 ― two-hundred and eleven days ago! Thirty-five of those days were to accommodate my Advocate’s surgery and recovery, but how did the other 176 days constitute an “Emergency?”
At the beginning of this process, I was skeptical that I could get a fair trial. Every step taken by the four men who constitute the Execute Committee of the Executive Board has only strengthened my belief. While I maintain that I am NOT guilty of the charges before you, I am 77 years old, and I am tired of playing games with you when the fix has been in from the beginning.
With these words, I withdraw from and renounce the authority of Second Presbytery to oversee me as a minister called of God and by His Spirit — effective immediately. Under Christ’s Authority, I also denounce and withdraw from the jurisdiction of the Executive Board, and, asking God to judge between us, Erlene and I leave you to your own devices and your Kangaroo Court.
These are my thoughts,
Charles W. Wilson
Chuck, you have my prayers and support. Dawn and I understand and we value the many positive interactions we’ve enjoyed over the years.
Cheers, Rev. Ed Humphries of the former Faith Church of Austell Georgia
Ed,
Thank you for your kind words and your prayers.
Chuck Wilson
ARPTalk
Charles “Chuck,” I wonder if you are the Chuck Wilson who worked at a shoe store in Phoenix, who married my Employment Security Commission co-worker, Joan Selb, in the early 1960s. We’d all be in our 80s now.
Dear Kay,
No.
Regards,
Chuck Wilson
ARPTalk
Chuck,
Thank you for writing. I’ve shared this letter with my fellow elders.
Blessings,
Mark Shaver
Morning Star ARP, Vero Beach, Florida
Mark,
Thank you for sharing ARPTalk with your “fellow elders.”
You have my permission to share with anyone you think is interested.
The leaders of the ARP church treat the people of the ARP Church like mushrooms. They keep them in the dark and feed them poop.
The leaders of the ARP Church are terrified of light, for the light will expose them for the feckless failures they are. Remember the maxim: “If you can’t pastor a congregation, become a denomination leader.”
Chuck Wilson
ARPTalk
Chuck, I have to say I’m at a loss.. I haven’t had interaction with many of the brothers in years; really, you most all I kept in contact. I spoke last with Kyle probably in 2016 or 17.
I hope and trust ur spirit is strong in the Lord Christ. As you remember, we discussed the sadness and outright brokenness associated with estrangement in close family . We both know this is a Yeoman’s work: to forgive and to be forgiven… It ain’t for the faint-of-heart.
I would be glad to pray with you and recognize alongside you the desperate need for grace to us and our kindred and also to the brothers.
My sincere thoughts,
A Friend
Friend,
Thank you for the kind words.
My phone number is (864)882-6337. I would be delighted to pray with you.
Warmest regards,
Chuck Wilson
ARPTalk
I don’t know what from this post to believe as I know for a fact that the things you allege against Bill McKay are absolutely false, regarding reporting on a Canadian pastor during COVID. And that you accuse him of having more allegiance to the Queen than the Word is disingenuous toward the action in good faith by many Christians during the pandemic who complied with government mandates to suspend public gatherings. (The congregation in question actually did not leave the denomination at all. In fact, they remain in the ARP and are thriving.)
You speak passionately about truth while not bothering to get your own facts straight, thereby libeling a man who loves the Lord and wants to serve his church.
Strphanie,
Will Rogers said, “All I know is just what I read in the papers, and that’s an alibi for my ignorance.”
Will Rogers-like, All I know is just what I saw and heard on the nightly news, and that’s an alibi for my ignorance.
Is there another Bill McKay?
Regards,
Chuck Wilson
ARPTalk
Chuck,
I am praying for both you and Erlene. May God grant unto you both His peace and comfort.
Peter Waid
Peter,
Thank you.
Chuck Wilson
ARPTalk
Chuck,
I cannot imagine a minister of our Savior calling His, and our, beloved Church “Babylon” (and in the passage cited “the great whore!”). And to say that Church feeds her members “poop” is to annul any sympathy for you. So sad 😞! In a week you will hear of the Lord’s mighty deeds among us and of His loving favor for our blessed churches!
Herschel,
1) You are the pulpit supply of a congregation which has not sent in an “annual statistical report” since 2006 (that is, 17 years ago). If you didn’t know it, you and your congregation have failed to comply with directives of both your presbytery and synod.
2) In 2006, the Calvary Reformed congregation reported 38 members. That’s not a church; it’s a Sunday School class.
3) On the basis of what I know of you, not only could you not lead someone to Jesus, I doubt you could lead hungry puppies to a bowl of dog food. You are an embarrassment!
4) The congregation you supply isn’t dying; it is already dead. You are the problem in the ARP Church.
5) Have you even read the pre-Synod reports? They are dismal.
6) During the week of synod, you will NOT “hear of the Lord’s mighty deeds among us and His loving favor for our blessed churches.” You will hear of judgment. The ARP Church is down the toilet.
7) I apologize to you. You haven’t eaten poop. No! You drank from the stream called “foolish.”
8) I don’t want the sympathy of anyone. I certainly don’t want the sympathy of someone as benighted as you are.
Chuck Wilson
ARPTalk
Chuck,
You seem to have spent a lot of your ministry years banging your head against the wall trying to awaken the ARP Church to the reality of the road they were taking.
Some of your efforts, inerrant scripture, may have saved the church from an earlier death. Had you and others not prevailed in this I would have left years ago. Other efforts like financial responsibility fell upon deaf ears.
From my perspective you have always gone forth with a love for what the denomination could and should be.
For whatever time you have left, May God continue to bless you with the knowledge there are many both in the pews and pulpits there are those who consider you to be a man both admired and worthy of emulation.
God bless you and Erlene.